Everybody gets naked in Szentendre

Index reported that an art installation caused an outcry a week ago in the city of Szentendre, Pest county. A man got naked to demonstrate against the art piece which overlooks his balcony and apartment. In response to this, a woman working for the museum got naked on top of the installation to reciprocate the man’s artistic gesture, Index reports.

There is a whole lot of nakedness going on in Szentendre.

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How it all started

A special art installation appeared in the Czóbel Museum of Szentendre. The artist’s, Erik Mátrai’s sight-specific installation is called ‘View’, and it is located in the inner garden of the Czóbel Museum. According to the art festival Art Capital’s website:

“it is a climbable, functioning high stand, which offers visitors a view that they otherwise would not have the opportunity to behold. The construct provides a panorama of Szentendre, a city whose church spires and rooftops create a unique structural pattern, which has always been a source of great inspirations to the artists that have worked there. Aside from that, however, the high stand can also be regarded as an expression of the human drive to move upwards, to step outside the enclosed garden.”

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The problem with the high stand was that it overlooks the neighbouring apartment building, and the building’s residents were more than upset when they found out that their private balconies are exposed to each and every guest who visits the art piece.

Residents are especially outraged by the fact that the museum did not even notify them in advance to let them know what is being built in the courtyard.

One resident, in particular, started a peaceful demonstration against the “nosy” high stand which displays their private life for all to see.

A man decided to sit down in his own balcony, and spend a relaxing couple of hours reading there wearing nothing but a straw hat and a fig leaf. He was reading naked on his own balcony while dozens of tourists visited the museum’s special installation.

Since the incident, the museum has already started to resolve the issue with the outraged residents.

The story (nakedness) continues

In response to the man’s demonstration, one museum worker decided to walk up the high stand after closing hours completely naked, as a way of continuing the artistic dialogue that the man started a week earlier.

Photo: Ferenczy Múzeumi Centrum

This act intended to (unofficially) recognise the gesture of the resident’s “performance”. Getting naked as an artistic gesture has a long tradition within the artistic profession.

Featured image: Ferenczy Múzeumi Centrum

Source: www.index.hu